The Truth about Naps

By Jane Farrell

Taking a nap often sounds like a great idea, especially if you’ve had trouble sleeping the night before. But how good is it for you? Here, the experts from the Mayo Clinic break it down.

Unquestionably, naps can help revitalize you. The benefits, according to the Mayo experts, also include relaxation; fatigue reduction; increased alertness; and better mood. But naps may also be a sign of diabetes, according to a Japanese study cited by the BBC.

But long naps can take you into the deeper stages of sleep and make you feel groggy, not rested, when you wake up. Additionally, sleeping for a long time during the day may affect your nighttime sleep patterns.

So Eric Olson, M.D., a sleep specialist at Mayo, suggests keeping your naps under 30 minutes. “A short nap strikes that balance between allowing you to be refreshed without giving you that hangover effect from the sleep.”

According to Mayo, the cause of any nighttime sleep trouble could be diet, bedroom routine or your schedule.

You may also have a sleep disorder. A sleep specialist can diagnose this via a “sleep study,” and can suggest ways to make your nighttime routine more restful.

Eventually, it’s possible you won’t need those naps anymore!

For more information on health issues, visit www.mayoclinic.org.